Leading Authorities in Damascus Steel and Mokume Gane

Steven Midgett

Steve is internationally recognized as a master of Damascus Steel and Mokume Gane. His fascination with these techniques spans four decades, and he has specialized in patterned metal jewelry since 1989. A JCK Rising Star Designer, Niche Award and two time American Vision Award winner, Steve has led workshops on Mokume Gane and lectured about his work and research throughout the US, and around the world. His metalwork has been featured in many magazines including, JCK, National Jeweler, Colored Stone, Lapidary Journal, Ornament, and AJM among others, and is also found in many contemporary jewelry books. He is the author of the 1995 book and instructional video, Mokume Gane in the Small Shop, and also the 2000 hardcover, Mokume Gane: A Comprehensive Study, which is considered the preeminent text on the subject. Since its publication, the book has been printed in both German and Russian editions and is largely credited for the expansion and popularization of the technique in those countries.

In 2002, Steve was invited by the Tokyo University of Fine Art to lecture, and teach about technical improvements to the ancient Japanese art of Mokume Gane that he and other metalsmiths have developed in the West. In recent years, his exploration and research into alternative metals and bonding techniques led to the development of extrusion patterned metals. In 2009 Steve, and his then partner, James Binnion, received the prestigious Manufacturing Jewelers and Suppliers Innovation Award. Also in 2009, Steve was a featured speaker at the International Titanium Association annual conference in Waikoloa, Hawaii. Steve was awarded the JCK Jewelers Choice Award for a groundbreaking palladium, and tantalum men's wedding band in 2011. Most recently, a holloware vessel of his has been awarded a Saul Bell Award from Rio Grande. Steve was a presenter at the 2012 SNAG Conference (The Heat Is On) in Phoenix where he gave an overview of past, current, and emerging technologies for Mokume Gane. Also in 2009, Steve was a featured speaker at the International Titanium Association annual conference in Waikoloa, Hawaii. Steve was awarded the JCK Jewelers Choice Award for a groundbreaking palladium, and tantalum men's wedding band in 2011. Most recently, a holloware vessel of his has been awarded a Saul Bell Award from Rio Grande. With Jacob, Steve continues to pioneer new patterned metals processes for jewelry applications and beyond.

Sculpture has been a life long interest for Steve, and he has worked extensively in clay, rammed (compacted) earth, steel, and copper. Aside from his work, Steve has a keen interest in the primitive and traditional skills of archery, bow making, wooden boat building and sailing. His best job ever has been raising his three amazing children.

Jacob Midgett

Jacob grew up hunting stumps with a bow and arrow and catching crawdads in the creek behind his father's workshop. When he was four years old, his dad gave him a butcher knife to chop kindling with and he quickly developed a lifelong appreciation of working with his hands. Not long after, he started receiving metalsmithing lessons in the studio and began learning the ways of metal. His first paying job was as a blacksmith's assistant, pumping the bellows for his big brother's coal burning forge at 25 cents an hour.

As he grew up, he continued to work with his hands and developed a passion for ceramics and woodworking. This, plus his love for competitive soccer, landed him a scholarship to The Savannah College of Art and Design, where he achieved a BFA in Industrial Design. During his time at SCAD, he was selected to work on projects for companies such as JCB, VTech and The McGee Group. Through these design opportunities, and others, he traveled to Las Vegas, Hong Kong and France – touring factories, attending trade shows and presenting product concepts.

After Graduating in 2009, he worked for the advertising powerhouse Crispin, Porter and Bogusky before pursuing ambitions in the Boulder, Colorado tech start-up community. He worked as a designer for the inventors of the first capacitive touch screen glove, Agloves. In late 2012, he left Agloves and joined forces with his father to develop new-era processes in the demanding field of patterned metal jewelry. Jacob admires the many innovations his father has made in the field of patterned metals and as a Midgett intends to take his father's work even further.

Over the last few years Jacob has created a very successful shop on Etsy selling the first generation Steven Jacob jewelry designs. He has been blown away by the incredible reception their work has received on Etsy. Since opening their store in late 2013 he has facilitated their first 1,000 sales and witnessed over 350 five star reviews from happy customers. With the recent launch of the brand new Steven Jacob website, Mokume.com, he hopes to reach many more clients in search of extraordinary handmade jewelry.